The BEST Chicken Cheesesteak with a Twist!

I know, every recipe claims to be the best one out there, but in this case I seriously think my claim is accurate! This Chicken Cheesesteak is so good, I don't think I'll eat another cheesesteak made with beef again!

This is one of those recipes that just happened one day. Jeff and I were starving and wanted cheesesteaks. We didn't have any steak thawed, but I had a chicken breast.

He kind of looked at me funny and, truth be told, neither of us were too excited about lunch. I mean, a chicken cheesesteak? How boring. Give me a REAL cheesesteak please!

In fact, I'd never ordered nor had a chicken cheesesteak until that very day. They seemed so, blah. I couldn't imagine how it would be very good. But, we do what we have to do and I went on and grabbed a few things out of the fridge and set out to make lunch.

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As the chicken was cooking, I thought... why not add in some pepperoncinis. If the Mississippi Pot Roast can do it with beef, why can't I do it with chicken? Only, I didn't have any. I did have banana pepper rings, so I used those.

WOW! The flavors were amazing! AMAZING! So, here you have it... my recipe for Chicken Cheesesteak!

What Rolls are Best for a Cheesesteak Sub?

When it comes to burgers and subs, I think the roll is as important as what you put in it! If you get a roll that is too soft, it will fall apart and, if it's too hard, it's impossible to eat!

Personally, I like to make my own when I have the time. That way I control the size and can make the bread as soft or as crunchy as I want, depending on what I'm using it for.

However, more times than not, I find myself picking up sub rolls and have learned to get the kind that feel soft, but are also substantial in size. The kind I used in this recipe are from the bakery at a local store, so there isn't a brand that I can give you.

I did a quick search on the internet and these rolls by Arnold look similar to what I used. Link: Arnold Sub Roll

The best way to pick out a great roll is to feel it. If it is soft like a hotdog roll, it's probably going to fall apart. If it is hard like a crusty loaf of French bread, it's going to be hard to eat.

If you can't already tell, I'm kind of picky about the type of roll and I like to prep it a certain way, too! I slice the roll through the middle, but only about ¾ of the way. I want the roll to serve as my tray of sorts for the filling.

Then, I carefully open it up and lay it as flat as it will get without breaking and it if it's really bready inside and dense, I hollow it out some. I also spread mayo on each side, but that is a personal preference. I know some people don't like hot mayo and that's fine. You can add some mayo after it's toasted if you like.

Tips for Thinly Slicing Chicken Breast

When making a chicken cheesesteak, you want VERY thinly sliced chicken breast. Almost so thin that you can see through it. In fact, if you can see through it, that's great!

Here are some tips that may help with slicing the chicken.

• Use a meat slicer. If you have one, these are wonderful to use to get really thin slices.
• Freeze the chicken breast for about 1 hour before slicing. This makes it much easier to get the super thin strips.
• Use a SHARP knife. A good quality (sharp) knife is one of the most important tools that you can have. I use the 8" chef knife from Pampered Chef and I LOVE it! I have had super expensive Wusthof and Henkel knives and I prefer the PC one, believe it or not.

Seasoning the chicken is also important, so after slicing it add some salt and pepper. I only used about ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper.

Are Banana Peppers Spicy?

I don't think so, but I used the mild kind. They come in mild and hot, so pick the style that you will enjoy.

On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the hottest, I would say that the mild are maybe a 1 or 2. Seriously, they aren't spicy at all. The do give the BEST flavor, though!

I have never had the hot kind, but I can't imagine that they are super hot, either. Unless, of course, they add something to the liquid to make them spicier.

To give you a comparison, jalapeno peppers are 2,500-8,000 on the scoville scale and banana peppers are 0-500. Pepperchinis are 100-500. These are very mild peppers.

If you are interested in learning more about the heat ratings of various peppers, here is an article I found by Chili Pepper Madness: The Scoville Scale

How to Make the Chicken Cheesesteak Filling

You can use any kind of skillet, the inner pot of the Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot. This recipe would be amazing made on a flat top too! Jeff and I bought a Blackstone Flat Top last year and LOVE it!

Once you have your onions, peppers, and chicken sliced up, you are ready to go. This goes FAST, so definitely have everything already prepped. That includes the roll!

I use the little mini sweet peppers that come in a pack, but you can use a bell pepper if you prefer.

Turn the stove or Ninja Foodi on medium high heat and place 2-3 tsp of oil (I used olive oil) in the skillet or inner pot. Allow the oil to heat up and add the onions and peppers. In the video, I added the onions and browned them slightly and then added the peppers. Either way is fine.

Season the onions and pepper with a little salt and pepper and sauté just 1-2 minutes or until the onions get a little brown.

Move the peppers and onions to the edge so you have a space for the sliced chicken.

Preheat your oven or whatever appliance you are going to use to toast the chicken cheesesteak.

Add the sliced chicken (that has already been seasoned) to the center of the skillet and move it around so as much of the chicken is on the pan as possible. Sauté for about 2 minutes to brown up the chicken a bit and then toss it all together.

Add in the banana peppers and the juice and sauté about 2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Grab your roll and let's finish up!

Assembling the Chicken Cheesesteak

By now you should have your oven or whatever appliance you are using to toast the cheesesteak preheated. Of course, you don't have to toast the roll if you prefer a softer roll.

Simply put the cheese on top of the chicken mixture while it's in the skillet and put a lid on it until it melts. Then proceed with assembling your sub.

Place half of the chicken mixture in the prepped roll (see above) and put two slices of provolone cheese on top. I used smoked provolone, but you can use any cheese that you like.

Put the sandwich on a tray if you are using the oven and either broil or use the bake function until the cheese is nicely melted. This should take anywhere between 4-8 minutes, depending on your oven.

If you are using the Ninja Foodi Grill or any airfryer, put it in the basket and Air Fry on the highest setting for about 3-4 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly and then cut it in half.

Serve & Enjoy!